


Keep Your Head in the Game

by orphan_account



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, basically an au where theyre rivals on the basketball team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 15:36:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8061952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tyler and Josh decided they hated each other in the 3rd grade, but senior year is here and it's finally time to showdown and prove who's the better basketball player.





	

Tyler wasn't one to throw around the word hate, he was raised better than that. But hate was truly the only word he could possibly use to describe his feelings towards Josh Dun.

The two first met at the elementary school basketball team’s first practice in the 3rd grade. Tyler had been training to play basketball since he could walk and his tiny hands could hold the ball. His parents assured him that he was going to be the star of the team, excelling above all the other drooly little brats just forced to play because their parents signed them up. Tyler was there to win, and always had his eye on the prize.

The coach started by teaching them the basics, simple passing drills and what not. It was all stuff Tyler already knew of course, but he couldn't show off yet. So he pretended to not understand rebounds and messed up on a few drills, just a few basic mistakes he could easily correct later when it was time to shine.

"You're supposed to be doing a bounce pass. That means the ball is supposed to bounce," someone with a know-it-all tone spoke up from behind him. Tyler's head immediately snapped to the stranger, scowl plastering on his face.

"Excuse me?" he responded, sass tinting his voice.

"You're... you're not bouncing..." the dark haired boy responded with a slight shrug. "Coach said to do bounce passes."

Tyler stepped away from his partner for a moment, sticking his basketball under his arm.

"I don't need to practice bounce passes," Tyler shot back. "Me and my partner both actually have them down, so I decided to help Mark practice catching air passes," he explained. He couldn't believe this kid had the nerve to try and tell Tyler freaking Joseph how to pass a basketball. The other kid just shrugged.

"All I'm saying is that's not what coach said to do," he responded, turning back to his own partner.

And that was the exact moment 8-year-old Tyler decided he hated Joshua Dun (who's name he learned by sneaking a peek at the team's roster that night).

All through grade school, middle school, and high school, Tyler's hatred for Josh only grew. They were constantly down each other's throats competing, each one consistently trying to one up the other. Sometimes it seemed as if the two cared more about out doing each other than the good of their basketball teams as wholes. Senior year of high school was where things really started to get serious.

A few days before their very first varsity match, the coach huddled the team up to announce captains.

“Now,” he began, deep voice booming through the gymnasium. “Choosing captains for this year has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make in a while. And quite frankly, I don’t think there’s a way I can safely choose one captain without disappointing a whole group of you.” As the years had went on, sections of the team had routed for either Josh or Tyler over one another, enjoying the boys’ competitive sides and even sometimes making bets on who would play better.

“So that’s why for the first time in this team’s history, I’ve chosen two co-captains,” the coach announced. You could plainly see the shock on the entire team’s face. They all knew where this was going, and Tyler and Josh both simultaneously felt their stomachs knotting in frustration.

“Joseph. Dun. I know you’ll keep these boys motivated through every game. Work out your differences and start acting like the new co-captains you are. That was a great practice today boys, now hit the showers and get home.” their coach finished, blowing his whistle to signal the end of practice.

Tyler and Josh were both equally as stunned, each had been completely convinced that they beat the other for the position.

"This can't be happening," Tyler mumbled to himself, hands running through his sweat soaked hair in distress. Josh was too surprised to speak, blankly staring at the space in front of him.

A few members of the team clapped their new captains on the back as they walked by and congratulated them, eventually all making their ways into the locker room and leaving the two rivals alone in the gymnasium. Neither wanted to be the first to speak up on the matter, both still trying to think of appropriate responses to the situation.

"Are we at least both in agreement that there should only be one captain on this team," Josh finally sighed. Tyler's head shot up, eyes dark with frustration and ready to tear Josh apart.

"I have a proposal," Tyler started. "1 v. 1, right here, right now. First to let's say, 100 points wins?" he suggested. He new 100 was a high bargain, but it was because he knew he had more stamina than his pink haired teammate, and tiring him out was all part of the plan. And speaking of pink hair, what 18 year old boy dyed their hair pink? Tyler thought it made his dumb face look even dumber. Even when it got all sweaty and fell into his eyes and made him look all sexy and--

"60. But we play full court, not half," Josh interrupted Tyler’s thought. Josh knew he could sprint up the distance of the entire court faster than the other boy. Tyler sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew exactly where Josh was going with this.

“75, full court. Loser tells coach they don't want to be captain," he made his final offer, extending an anxiously shaking hand towards his opponent.

"Fine," Josh agreed, not to wanting to bother bargaining anymore. He reached his hand out and clapped it into Tyler's, each giving a nice firm shake. For some reason, Tyler noticed the size of Josh's hands compared to his own. Why did they feel so much bigger? He wondered if Josh could hold a ball with just one hand and what it would feel like if he--

Tyler snapped out of it. How long had they been holding hands? Was it longer than the proper amount of time to be holding a hand shake? His eyes worriedly glanced up to Josh's, only to find that he was just staring back into his own somewhat intensely. Tyler quickly pulled his hand away and took a step back, hand reaching up to scratch at the back of his neck with worry. He really hoped he wasn’t blushing.

Josh seemed unphased, but then again he had always been really confident and good at keeping his cool. Tyler had never noticed the way Josh stared at him during games, loving the way sweat glistened on Tyler's body. Loving the intense expression Tyler got when he was determined to get the ball from the other team. Loving the way Tyler's muscular legs carried him all the way to the other side of the court within a matter of seconds. Loving the way his muscles rippled under strain when they went into the weight room once a week before practice. Loving the way--

Josh needed to get his head in the game and stop letting his mind race. He went over to the rack of balls on the sideline and chose one, dribbling a few times.

"Let's get started, shall we?" he mused, sauntering over to center court. Tyler nodded in response and swallowed thickly. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? He knew he was better than Josh. He’d known that since they were 8 and met that first day of basketball and he decided he hated Josh. He’d known all through elementary school because Josh constantly teased him for being smaller than him and that ‘professional basketball players can’t be that tiny’. He’d known all through middle school whenever their shoulders would smash together in passing in the hallway, just trying to see who could make the other more off balance, but careful to avoid their teacher’s watchful eyes. He’d known all through high school when they’d always piss their classmates off trying to out do each other during stupid gym activities, or at every party when they’d try to one up each other in drinking games.

But this was it. In this moment, nothing else from their past mattered. This was the final showdown, the moment that would truly decide who was better.

Tyler tried to clear his mind, too many useless memories flurrying through his head. He couldn’t let himself lose in this moment. Josh had an almost amused expression on his face as Tyler approached, a small smirk dancing across his lips as he looked his rival up and down. Despite all the hatred between them there was just something about Tyler that intrigued Josh, even after all these years.

“Gonna keep staring at me or toss that ball up so we can get this going,” Tyler huffed, knees bending slightly as he mirrored Josh’s ready position. Josh chuckled at that, shoulders raising slightly.

“Sorry sorry… just couldn’t help myself from thinking about how good you’re gonna look running up and down this court all night trying to chase me while I kick your ass,” Josh replied smugly, giving the ball a few more dribbles. Tyler could feel heat raising in his cheeks.

“Guess it’s a good thing you think I'm good looking considering the only thing you’re gonna see all night tonight is my back side while you try to chase all my shots,” Tyler attempted to retort, but he didn’t feel as though there was as much confidence in his words as Josh’s. Josh raised his eyebrows, holding the ball under his arm to take a step towards Tyler.

“I mean in all honesty, I think I’d like the view even better if you didn’t have those shorts on,” Josh’s voice lowered, and before Tyler could blink the other boy’s face was just inches from his own. He could feel their breath mixing together, the only sound echoing through the gym around them was their heavy breathing. Tyler’s eyes nervously scanned over Josh’s face, looking for the smallest sign that this was all just a bluff to make him fuck up in the game. But Josh seemed dead serious, eye’s hungrily staring back into Tyler’s.

“Do you expect me to just believe we’ve been in that little kid phase all this time where you pretend we hate each other but really there are under lying feelings?” Tyler mumbled nervously, tongue swiping out to lick his suddenly very dried lips.

“Well you could put it that way… or you could just let me kiss you,” Josh breathed, and Tyler could feel his hot breath washing over his lips. Josh was too impatient to wait for a response, so after just a moment of making sure there was no hesitation from Tyler he reached a hand up to cup Tyler’s jaw and leaned in the rest of the way to close gap between their lips.

Tyler’s breath caught in his throat momentarily in pure shock. His mind had been racing every second since the minute he and Josh were left alone in the gymnasium, but the second their lips connected it was like his brain shut off. The only thing he could think about and focus on was the feeling of Josh’s lips gently moving against his.

Time and everything else in the world seemed to melt away in the few brief moments they were kissing, and when they pulled away Tyler felt even more out of breath than he had just 15 minutes before when practice ended. Josh had a huge shit eating grin on his face, eyes almost sparkling as they gazed into Tyler’s.

“How about we 1 v 1 another time and go out for pizza. We can discuss some plays for the game Friday,” Josh suggested quietly, the hand that had been caressing Tyler’s jaw reached up to rake through his hair instead. Tyler nodded a little bit, still in too much shock to get many words out.

“Yeah… yeah I think I’d like that…” he answered softly, feeling the other’s hand reach over and intertwine his own fingers with Tyler’s nervous and shaky ones. Josh’s huge smile impossibly widened as he lead his co-captain out of the gym, heading to the locker room to retrieve their things.

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was based off of Mars' nemesis prompt but i immediately changed it to basketball rivals and wrote way more than i was supposed to. live love wormler squad
> 
> i reread this a million times but my computer kept giving me issues so please just let me know if theres any grammar errors!!


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